Inspiring An Ill Feeling Against Bethlehems
Just because the Bethlehem F. C. wanted a fair percentage of the gate to show at Fall River, Mass., on Sunday afternoon and held out until this demand was granted, the business methods of the Bethlehem management are associated with those of the Jesse James gang. And after all it is to wonder if these demands were conceded to merely for satisfaction of defeating the local club or whether the management at Fall River realized that no better card could be booked for the exhibition game than the Bethlehems. At least the Fall River crowd finally agreed to the demands of the Bethlehems and happening to know the figures as well as the approximate receipts of the game, Bethlehem got not one percent more for their services than they deserved. Apparently Fall River wanted the whole hog or none and when Bethlehem held out for only a fair portion the management realized no doubt that it was dealing with business people and people who know the drawing capacity of Bethlehem in Fall River probably as well as the Fall River management. Granted that the Fall River club succeeded in defeating Bethlehem by a score of 2 goals to 1, quite a few more games between these clans are scheduled to be played before the season ends and games that carry with them more than victory. Games that will mean something in the race for the American League pennant. By referring to the Bethlehem F. C. management as an ancestor of Jesse James, nothing less than an ill feeling could be engendered in the home town of the Fall River club and this feeling and rivalry widely distributed reflected in the attendance which is said to have been the largest ever to see a soccer game at that place. Fall River makes several visits to Bethlehem during the season and they may be the team with it array of former Bethlehemites will not be as cordially received as in the past. Fall River's attitude toward the Bethlehem team can be gleaned in the appended article, appearing in the Evening Herald, Fall River, Mass., of September 26, under the caption "BETHLEHEM TEAM WILL SHOW AT STADIUM SUNDAY"

"Not all the Jesse James ancestors are dead according to the outrageous guarantee demanded by the powers that be who are in charge of the football clubs in his section of the country. The only difference noted is that the Jesse James boys used a horse and a pistol while the Bethlehem Steel management uses the telephone and telegraph wires.

"After three days of dickering the local management has been forced to give in to the demand of the Steel company management for a guarantee that surpasses anything ever paid to a soccer aggregation to sow its wares in this city. Numerous other teams pleaded for a chance to come in her and it would have been a far more profitable piece of work to book any one of them, in preference to conceding the Steelmen their outrageous guarantee, but in keeping with his sporting blood, Manager Mark decided that regardless of the exorbitant guarantee demand it would be worth it to beat the steelmen and at the same time furnish the local fans with the best attraction available.

"According to the confirmation of the demands was sent in this morning and the Bethlehem team will be brought to this city on Sunday. What a contest this should be. The local manager will instill the spirit of fight into every single member of the local club and it will be a battle for life. To beat the steelmen is the one big ambition of the local management and needless to say it is the same for the several players who are members of the local club and who were formerly under the Bethlehem regime. Dougie Campbell, Harold Brittan, Findlay Kerr, Bill Collier and Frank McKenna have all had their day with the Steelco aggregation and they are ready to give their bets to beat the steelmen any day in the week.

"The Steelmen have a high touted aggregation of stars, most of them of the imported variety. Even the great McNiven was not good enough for them this year. They gave him the air in preference Jackson, a famous star from overseas.

"The big guarantee demanded warrants that an extra gate charge would be needed to give the local management even a gambler's chance of making the contest worth while from a financial standpoint, but in keeping with his regular policy of giving the bans the best that can be had without an extra charge, Manager Marks has decided to stand by his regular prices.

"There will be two prelim games on Sunday. They will be announced tomorrow. All that is needed is a fair day and then just watch the Marksmen tear into the Bethlehem Steel aggregation unmercifully."